Violence Against Nurses Rises

Health care

Association Reports 1,435 Cases Of Assault In 1988, 1,789 In 1989

A recent outburst of violence in an Orlando hospital emergency department was not an isolated incident.

Nationwide, violence in health care settings has been increasing, and too often nurses end up on the receiving end of that violence, according to a report by the American Nurses Association.

''We consider violence against nurses, particularly in hospital settings, to be an extremely serious workplace issue for our members,'' said Gwen Johnson, a member of the ANA's board of directors and a staff nurse at Howard University Hospital in Washington.

While the violence was not directed at a nurse in the recent incident at Orlando Regional Medical Center, a nurse became involved when a police officer began using force to subdue an unruly patient on March 19.

The episode shows how volatile the emergency department can be.

Orlando Police Officer Daniel Fernandez used his baton repeatedly on patient Thomas Canceliere, who police said became combative while being treated for a head wound.

Charge nurse Kellee Ann Smith questioned the officer and was arrested and handcuffed for a short time after the officer accused her of interfering. She was later ''unarrested'' and released. The incident is under investigation.

''This is not something you see every day,'' said ORMC spokesman Joe Brown. ''But, yes, things can get heated. And, yes, things can get out of hand.''

Brown added that nurses are trained to deal with patients who get unruly but sometimes have to call for assistance from hospital security or the police.

The nurses association reported that the number of reported assaults in hospitals increased from 1,435 in 1988 to 1,789 in 1989, the most recent year data was collected and published in the Journal of Healthcare Protection Management.

Incidents of workplace violence against nurses included physical assault, 46 percent; verbal abuse, 25 percent; and rape or attempted rape, 16 percent. Most assault victims in health care settings are employees, with the majority of those being nurses.

The largest number of injuries occur while attempting to contain patient violence, the report concluded.

Johnson said data is hard to come by because many hospitals discourage the reporting of violent episodes, fearing adverse publicity.

The ANA recently joined with the American Medical Association to condemn the shooting death of gynecologist Dr. David Gunn outside a Pensacola women's health clinic on March 10.